PRESS BRIEFING
BY
SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER
AND COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT DAVID GERGEN
Hotel Okura
Tokyo, Japan

8:55 P.M. (L)

MS. MYERS: We'll get started now. Dave Gergen is
going to give a readout of the meetings from earlier today. Then
Secretary Christopher will make some comments and will take
questions after that.

Without further ado.

MR. GERGEN: All of us have had a long day, so we'll
be rather brief with the readout. I just want to say that I feel
privileged to share this podium with Secretary Christopher
tonight.

The President and Mrs. Clinton have -- they're up in
their rooms over in the South Wing where I think they're ordering
some dinner. The President said a few moments ago that he was
tired but very upbeat at the end of a day. He's very pleased to
be here and thinks his sessions have gotten off to a good start.

A few brief comments about his meeting with Prime
Minister Miyazawa today: As the President came out of the room
he turned to George Stephanopoulos and me and said he had a
terrific meeting. He said it was a meeting that -- quote -- "was
terrific, covered the waterfront." He was very impressed by how
engaged and positive the Prime Minister was.

At the beginning of the meeting the Prime Minister
welcomed the President's choice of Asia for his first trip
overseas as President; thought he showed in what high regard he
held Asia. He also welcomed the nomination of Walter Mondale to
be the next Ambassador to Japan and said he appreciated the work
of Michael Armacost, who is, of course, the current Ambassador.

Their talks covered a wide range of other issues.
The Prime Minister welcomed the President's decisions with regard
to both China and Vietnam, called both of them wise. They
discussed Cambodia. The President said, overall they had a
fascinating talk about Asia.

They also discussed North Korea, agreed that the
situation there was serious, requires sustained efforts. The
Prime Minister thought that the President's emphasis upon APEC
was very wise. He thought the meeting that was going to be held
in Seattle would be very helpful.

They also discussed the United Nations Security
Council and the membership on that council. And the Prime
Minister told the President he appreciated American support and
both agreed that the issue itself was complicated.

And the President also, in addition to those issues,
the President talked to the Prime Minister about the structural
unemployment initiative, which he, of course, announced in San
Francisco some hours ago. And the President said that the Prime
Minister seemed very agreeable to it.

I know many of you are interested in the question
about the framework negotiations, and, of course, the President
and the Prime Minister have also discussed those to a degree.
Now, unfortunately, we're not in a position to tell you all the
details that I'm sure many of you would be interested in
learning. It's been a position of this administration, with
administrations passed, that there's an effort not to talk about
the details of a negotiation, especially negotiations as delicate
as these. There's no doubt that if this agreement is reached, it
would represent a considerable step beyond anything America and
Japan have had in the past in the trading area.

The two sides agreed that they have narrowed their
differences, but there are still tough issues ahead. No one can
tell at the moment what the outcome of these talks will be. No
one yet knows whether they will be completed this week. Both
sides expressed a desire in the meeting to complete an agreement
this week. They both said they were hopeful. But the President
also recognizes that a good agreement is better than a quick
agreement.

Now, I might say a word or two about the background
of this, the framework talks. As you know, this was an
initiative launched by President Clinton this spring, which now
is moving along, and he's pleased about that.

There have been various exchanges back and forth
between the sides. Back in the week of June 11-12, there was a
Japanese delegation that came to D.C. and the week of the 20th a
Washington delegation that went to Japan. Just to give you a
little bit of detail on that, that Washington delegation got back
last Tuesday night. Bo Cutter, who headed up the group on the
American side, got home at 1:00 a.m. in the morning Tuesday
morning. Then at 3:00 a.m. in the morning that same morning he
was receiving a call from the Japanese side saying they would
like to get back together and talk again.

Now, this was Friday, July 2nd, that the Prime
Minister sent a letter to the President which the President
welcomed in part because of the spirit of the letter, in part
because, on the substance itself, there was movement toward the
American side. And it was on that basis that there were meetings
in Washington this past weekend, a decision made to send some
Americans back here to resume talks. And then the President sent
a letter that came Monday, Japanese time -- in fact, the
President was working on the letter in San Francisco just before
the NEA speech, was reviewing the language, had some changes in
the language. That letter was transmitted to Japan overnight and
the Prime Minister had it on his desk first thing this morning,
and the talks resumed this morning.

Now, the President has said with regard to those who
are on the American side that he would like them to put aside
other things they're doing that don't interfere -- as long as
they don't interfere with their progress on the G-7 talks and the
Uruguay Round; that it was important to put those other things
aside and to focus on this question of the framework agreement
and see what could be done. But, again, no one is predicting an
outcome at this point. I think it will be premature to offer
such a prediction.

Now, as you know, after the bilateral the President
went on to this meeting over at the Embassy with the other
leaders. The President really enjoyed himself there, I must say.
He found that a number of people came up to him -- he was
particularly appreciative of the comments he had from a number of
people about education, so he got a lot of good ideas from it.
There were also talks about more exchanges and more opening up
the lane so that more Americans and Japanese visit each country
-- each other's countries.

He said that he was very impressed by the quality of
the people that he met, how genuinely interested some of them
seemed in the changes that were taking place. With regard to Mr.
Hata, one of the opposition leaders, they had an exchange about
what one does to cure a raspy throat during a campaign. The
President explained to Mr. Hata that he had found during his
campaign that you could use throat spray, but it might be very
helpful, but you could only use it two or three times a year.
Mr. Hata explained that he had a special potion, that he boils
beans and likes to drink the residue. I'm not sure that either
is going to take the advice from the other.

But that pretty much ended the evening and they've
come back here, as I say, to have dinner. I would really like
now to turn this podium over to Secretary Christopher who can
talk a bit more about the meetings today, but most importantly,
preview the meetings ahead.

Thank you.

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, David. Was it
yesterday or the day before, I gave an on-the-record briefing at
the White House previewing this trip. And I don't want to repeat
-- I see a number in the audience who heard me here at that time.

I guess what I would like to do is to give you an
update and to tell you trip is pretty much going as we
anticipated. It's a multidimensional trip, and I'd want to
emphasize tonight the Asian dimension of it. I don't think we
should get fixated solely on the G-7 aspect of it, because it was
very fortunate that the President's first trip abroad has been to
Asia. It's given him an opportunity to do several important
things with respect to Asia:

First, to emphasize the priority the United States
extends to Asia. After all, Asia buys more from us than any
other region in the world. Our trading relationship is the
strongest of any region in the world. It gives the President an
opportunity to emphasize that we intend to remain a Pacific
power; to emphasize that we will maintain our security
relationships in the Pacific; and that we feel a responsibility
to provide leadership in the Pacific. Our forward basing will
continue here in the Pacific.

And I would suggest to you as you view the remainder
of the trip, that you see it in an Asian dimension as well as in
a G-7 dimension. He has made one speech that I have referred to,
and I'm sure you've indicated that you've seen the points he made
in that speech. He'll be making two more significant speeches --
one at Waseda University tomorrow, and another at the Korean
National Assembly on Saturday -- which gives him an opportunity
to spell out the American commitment to Asia, which you will see,
I think, displayed and demonstrated and illustrated in various
ways as we go through the remainder of this trip.

He has four important bilaterals. Early tomorrow
morning he's going to have a bilateral meeting with President
Soeharto of Indonesia, which gives him an opportunity to talk
with the current chairman of the nonaligned movement; reflect our
growing ability to work with the nonaligned movement.
Particularly, we're seeing that in the United Nations two
relatively new Presidents, vigorous, forward-looking, trying to
reform their domestic economies. They 'll have an opportunity to
discuss the security relationship, which is on our minds very
much because of the threats from North Korea. And I think Korea
is a graphic reminder of the importance of the President's thrust
for democracy and free markets. Korea is a marvelous example of
a country that's moved through various stages and is now a
thriving democracy.

And there are so many more here in Asia, some of
which are quite surprising -- Mongolia and Cambodia, to take two
examples. So, as I say, I would emphasize the Asian aspect of
this trip.

Just a word or two about the Japanese discussions
today, discussions with Miyazawa. I was having parallel
discussions with Foreign Minister Muto. I'm struck by how much
this is a three-cornered stool, how significant the security and
political aspect of it is, along with the economic relationship
that we're emphasizing and which the President said is in need of
repair.

In each of the aspects of a security and political
relationship that I discussed today and the President discussed
today, the President has taken important decisions -- I think
sound decisions -- showing leadership on his part. In North
Korea, it's clear that Asia looks to the United States to take a
lead in dealing with the North Korean nuclear threat. This is an
international problem. It's not just a United States problem.
But it's certainly significant that the world will be looking at
the United States and the negotiations that are going to start in
Geneva on the 14th of this month.

On Vietnam, I think the United States' move here to
permit Vietnam access to the international financial institutions
is, once again, a significant move in the direction of
normalization of relations.

In the United Nations, the United States is in the
leadership position of indicating its support for Japanese
membership in the Security Council. Clearly it is time for some
reform of the United Nations' structure to bring it up to date.
It's 50 years old and I think there should be no surprise that
there needs to be some rethinking of the United Nations'
structure.

On the comprehensive test ban, that's another area
where the President has taken a difficult but sound decision
that's getting wide applause throughout the world.

So across the board, I think we see the United
States having relationships to talk about with Japan well beyond
the economic relationships, showing, as I said, the texture and
depth of our relationship, but also emphasizing a need to get the
economic relationship back in a better order.

The President will be having meetings tomorrow, and
then going on to the G-7 meetings the following day and Friday.
And I think I'll simply stop here and allow time for your
questions by saying, I think the President's trip is on track
with these two important dimensions. And we'll be moving forward
from here.

Q Mr. Secretary, admittedly Bosnia isn't in Asia,
but we don't hear anything about Bosnia anymore, which not too
long ago was considered a crisis. Has the West about given up on
Bosnia? And do you link the impression that the Muslims have
been let down with the rise of fundamentalism and the apparent
directive to State Department feels for American citizens
traveling abroad and living abroad?

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: Barry, if I had listed the
political issues that will be discussed at the summit, I would
certainly have listed Bosnia because, unquestionably, it will be
discussed. I guess I need some of their voice medicine -- one --
yes, boiled beans. One subject that will certainly come up on
the agenda is the need for additional humanitarian assets in Asia
in support of a humanitarian relief program in Bosnia.
Humanitarian aid is running very low. The United States is
committed well more -- far more -- than any other European
country. We have supplied more than $345 million in aid since
the beginning of the war there. And that doesn't count in our
military expenses and making the aid available. So that will
certainly come up. I'm sure the President and I will be urging
the allies to be forthcoming with additional aid.

We'll be reviewing the status of the negotiations in
Geneva to determine whether or not those are viable, feasible
negotiations that might produce a result in the situation. Most
in this room know the President's position on this, and know my
views on it, and so, I won't take time to repeat it. I would
want to answer the second part of Barry's question by flatly
rejecting the notion that our attitudes toward Bosnia have
anything to do with the rise of extremism or fanaticism elsewhere
in the Middle East.

Q Mr. Secretary, is it fair to assume that the
Japanese have made concessions that have led to this sudden new
hope of a breakthrough since everything -- all bets were off last
week? I'm not asking you to give details --

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: Yes, it's fair to assume
that the Japanese have moved in our direction.

Q Mr. Secretary, from Prime Minister Miyazawa's
comments it didn't seem as though he had. He talked about Japan
being a market economy, the inability of governments to control
their surpluses, unwillingness to tie surpluses to a percentage
of GDP. Where is there any flexibility in his remarks toward
what the United States would like to see?

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: I think your very skillful
attempt to lure me into what David said we wouldn't do and that
is to talk about the specifics -- I really am not able to go
beyond saying what I did, and that is that on important aspects
they have moved in our direction.

Q Could you explain where the President differs
from the Prime Minister's suggestions? You said he differed and
that his differences were well-known. Could you recapitulate
those differences?

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: No, for the same reason.
I'm sorry, that would take me into the specifics of the
negotiation. If you go back and look at the sequence of the
comments, I think you may get some idea as to where he differs.

Q Mr. Secretary, why is it necessary for the U.S.
-- for the President to restate so often and so strongly that the
U.S. is not retrenching in its security commitments in Asia? He
seems almost defensive about it.

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: We're not defensive about it
at all. I think when a new administration comes in there's
always the question as to whether there might be some pulling
back. We are reducing the number of our troops in Europe so I
think the question comes up quite naturally. But as a new
administration we simply want to emphasize that we intend to
remain a Pacific power and we're going to keep our security
commitments in Asia.

Q Mr. Secretary, at the first meeting when Prime
Minister Miyazawa came to Washington, virtually the entire
emphasis, at least on the press conference afterwards was on the
economic ties. I think you'll remember the key words were, the
President said, "let's not paper this over." This time almost
all of his emphasis is on the security and political ties. Why
the shift?

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: I don't really see it as a
shift. I think he said that the majority of the time the
conversation was spent on economic matters and a substantial
amount of my conversations were spent on economic matters. We're
discussing the framework, we were discussing how the Japanese
might help us or help the G-7 toward an agreement on market
access. We're certainly discussing with the Japanese how all of
us ought to underscore our commitment to global growth by taking
actions within the governments to stimulate the economy.

So there's been no de-emphasis of that, but it would
certainly be misleading for anybody to think that we have only
one stool to this three-legged stool. It is important for us
always to remember that we have security in political
relationships with Japan as well as the economic relationships.

What the President has been saying is that one leg
of the stool is badly in need of repair. And we're setting out
to try to do that.

Q The President said he was sorry he hadn't been
asked the question about the importance of targets in trade
policy. Can you give us the answer that he would have given?
And can you also help us understand how the Prime Minister
doesn't see a way to set a percentage of GNP on -- there's any
progress being made.

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: You're going right to core
of the important discussions that are under negotiation. And for
the same reason as before, I really regret that I can't get into
the specifics of those negotiations. Among other things, I'm not
personally doing the negotiating, so I think it's just as well to
leave that to the negotiators and see if we can produce a
framework that will be useful.

I would say one thing that I said in Washington and
not to go beyond what I've said earlier. I would want, once
again, I think, want to downplay expectations of some early
agreement on this. I think there, as Mr. Gergen said, there are
tough issues ahead. And we just have to see whether something
can be accomplished this week or thereafter. But we'll certainly
keep at it in any event.

Q David, will you answer some questions?

Q something to shoot at.

Q Read the Times piece --

MR. GERGEN: I think we've pretty well cleared the
deck, haven't we?

Q No. We just want you to reiterate what the
President's position is -- on where is differences are with --

Q What's the answer to the question he invited.

MR. GERGEN: A to Z, what is it?

Q What are his differences with Miyazawa on --

MR. GERGEN: We're not going to get into that.

Q He invited the question.

MR. GERGEN: I didn't invite the question.

Q Has there been any movement on the United
States' part in closing this gap between japan and the United
States? You say the Secretary said Japan --

MR. GERGEN: I don't think we want to get into sort
of trying to measure that. But we did find -- I think the
President said, and I think we indicated from this podium -- that
the Prime Minister's letter, dated July 2nd, was extremely
helpful in moving this process forward.

Q letter back to him equivalently helpful?

MR. GERGEN: I think it stated what the -- the back
said, look, here's where we're coming from, here's what we think
we ought to want to achieve. And now -- but there are some
things here to negotiate. There are some differences here that
have to be negotiated out. Those negotiations were not completed
during the day today, and there was a feeling in the meeting here
tonight, or when he met with the Prime Minister that, rather than
trying to negotiate out the differences in a meeting, that they
would be best left and put in the hands of those who had been
working on them during the day.

Q to be clear, you're willing to characterize
the measure -- the degree to which Japan has caved in, but not
the degree to which the United States may have caved in?

MR. GERGEN: You're right. (Laughter.)

Q But the President hasn't lost any resolve for
the need for specific targets, has he?

MR. GERGEN: The President has not lost his resolve
with regard to any of the issues that are on the table.

Q Is the President still interested in targets
for certain sectors?

MR. GERGEN: The President's position -- I think the
President said tonight that his positions were well-known on
those issues. I think that came up in the context of the Prime
Minister stating some of his positions, and the President said my
positions are well-known. I think what we're -- look, I think
what we're trying not to do is to walk through point by point by
point, here's where they are, here's where the United States is,
here's where the obvious point of disagreement may or may not be.
I think that's what we find to be unproductive at this delicate
stage.

Q The Japanese made concessions. Has the U.S.
then made counter concessions?

MR. GERGEN: I didn't say that. I did not say that.
I said that the United States put some positions forward in a
return letter which the President signed off on this morning from
San Francisco.

Q Are they negotiating tonight?

MR. GERGEN: No, it's in negotiations in the
morning.

Q Do you have any expectation that if they
reached agreement that any new government in Japan would live by
that agreement, live up to it?

MR. GERGEN: It's been the understanding of this
government that if an agreement were reached with the Miyazawa
government, that whatever government might then -- might be in
charge here, that the agreement would be, indeed, honored; just
as agreements are honored by American presidents and by their
successors.

Q Is that based on expectations or on some
guidance?

MR. GERGEN: No, there have been various
conversations which have indicated that. It's been well
understood on the American side that any agreement reached with
this government would be honored by future governments.

Q And was that reiterated tonight in the meeting
at the embassy?

MR. GERGEN: I don't know the answer to that
question. I had the impression that perhaps it was in one or two
conversations, but I don't think that is sufficient, and nor do I
know from whom that came. And I just don't think it's
appropriate for me to say that's a full answer.

Q Can you characterize the current status of the
GATT talks?

MR. GERGEN: The President and the Prime Minister
did discuss the GATT talks. Those could then -- I'm not prepared
now to outline exactly where they stand, but they had a
discussion with the Prime Minister tonight, and of course there
are some ongoing discussions. The quad discussions are
continuing on GATT. There will be further discussions tomorrow.
I think that they could go most of the day. That issue -- it's
my understanding that the Uruguay Round and the GATT talks -- I
don't have the exact calendar in front of me, but I don't think
that that's a major issue tomorrow in the first part of the G-7.
I think a lot of that discussion occurs the next day. But I
think the representatives who have been involved in the GATT and
the Quad talks -- as you know, Mr. Kantor and others are here,
and Mr. Kantor told me today he would be continuing his
discussions tomorrow.

Q Why were there no women at the meeting the
President had at the Ambassador's Residence tonight? Are there
no women leaders in Japan who it was worth his while to meet
with?

MR. GERGEN: Obviously, Japan has a number of very
strong leaders, including Mrs. Ogata who represents Japan at the
United Nations and is head of the refugee commission at the
United Nations. There are other leaders of Japan who are women.
As you know, one of the major figures -- running the politics of
Japan in one of the last elections was a woman. I can't speak to
precisely why there were no women in that group. I think that's
a question best directed to the American Embassy here, although
I'd be happy to take the question if that would be -- as to who
composed the list and why. It was -- as you know, it was an
assortment of both political and business as well as some
journalistic figures. And I was trying -- there were some women
in the room, but I'm not -- I have not seen the list. We've
posted the list or it should be available to you.

Q I was told there were no women on that list --
MR. GERGEN: You -- I don't doubt what you're

saying. I just don't know why --

Q Were any women in the American delegation?

MR. GERGEN: There are women on -- certainly women
on the trip. There's a number of women here on the trip on the
American delegation. I don't know -- with regard to the official
party, I can't answer that question. I mean, I don't know who's
on the official party. I simply don't know.

I think we're sort of straining the limits here.

Q get the speech in advance for the University
tomorrow?

MR. GERGEN: I'm sorry --

Q Will we get the speech?

MR. GERGEN: The honest answer is I don't know. The
President has not completed his review of the speech. He had a
chance to go over it on the airplane. He wanted to make some
changes, and he wanted to take a look at another draft. And
whether he's going to get that draft tonight or he'll have the
opportunity -- I think he's -- as I said, he was tired. I think
he'd like to get some sleep fairly soon. So --

Q Soeharto meeting? Is that before the --

MR. GERGEN: I believe the Soeharto meeting is at
7:30 a.m. and the speech is at 9:00 a.m. Is that not right?

Q give us the speech would he read it?
(Laughter.)

Q It will be in this building then -- all the
bilaterals will be up in his suite?

MR. GERGEN: Dee Dee is best prepared to answer the
locations of things. Would the bilaterals -- the Soeharto
meeting is here in this building?

MS. MYERS: -- across the street?

MR. GERGEN: It's in his suite? It's across the
street? At the embassy and then -- the bilaterals are at the
embassy. I stand corrected.

Yes, sir. One last question. Yes, sir.

Q There's going to be a political statement at
the G-7 tomorrow night. What's at the top of the U.S. political
agenda at the G-7 meeting --

MR. GERGEN: I would -- you know, I think the
Secretary of State would be the best one prepared to answer that
question. There's a long list of subjects that stretch around
the world and also, of course, the question of nonproliferation
is very high on the list of items the President wants to address
there.

Now, there will be another briefing tomorrow. I
don't know what time -- Dee Dee, are you -- do you have a time?
You haven't set a time, but the anticipated -- Dee Dee will be
briefing during the day tomorrow and then we'll try to do another
readout probably after the G-7 meeting and before the dinner.
We'll see if we can do a readout if that will be helpful to you.